An Israeli bombardment on southern Lebanon, Sept. 4, 2024. (Credit: Jalaa Marey/AFP)
Three Lebanese Civil Defense volunteers were killed in an Israeli drone strike on Saturday evening in the Froun region of South Lebanon, confirmed by the public organization and the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The three men and their two injured colleagues were at the scene of fires that had broken out in wooded and hilly areas of this locality, not directly along the border with Israel, following a series of violent strikes the previous evening.
The three victims were identified as Kassem Bazzi, Mohammad Hachem and Abbas Hammoud. The strike that killed them was strongly condemned by the Ministries of Health and Interior, which called it a "crime contrary to international law," criticizing Israel's continued targeting of rescue workers and firefighters. Earlier in the day, Civil Defense firefighters had been targeted by Israeli artillery fire in Qabriha, in the district of Marjayoun, while extinguishing a fire. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has convened an "emergency meeting" with ambassadors and representatives of international organizations on Monday, to urge them to "apply pressure on Israel."
Froun had been the scene of violent strikes by the Israeli air force the previous evening. Between 9:30 and 10 p.m., about 15 missiles hit the region, including valleys and forests, which had not been under Israeli fire since the opening of the South Lebanon front nearly 11 months ago. These strikes, which initially caused no casualties but sparked fires, were followed by an Israeli army announcement through its Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee on X, claiming that the strikes had hit "more than 15 missile launchers and Hezbollah military buildings." Some of the missiles were reportedly ready to be launched toward Israel.
Double retaliation
Hezbollah's response was swift, involving two distinct attacks.
The first response took the form of a "barrage of Katyusha rockets launched at the Mount Neria base," which currently houses the Golani Brigade forces. Mount Neria is located a few kilometers east of Mount Meron, home to Israel's northern air surveillance center, and regularly targeted by Hezbollah in retaliation for targeted Israeli strikes. This is the fourth time Mount Neria has been hit by Hezbollah, with all strikes occurring since late July, in response to Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah fighters. Following Hezbollah's retaliation, the Israeli army claimed that "about 30 shells fired from Lebanon landed in open fields, without causing casualties," and that alarm sirens had sounded shortly after 6 a.m. "in the Mattat region," about 12 kilometers east of Mount Neria.
The second retaliation also involved Katyusha rockets fired at "the main intelligence headquarters at the Mishar base." According to a map provided by Hezbollah, this base is located just north of Safed, 11 kilometers from the border, facing Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), and nearly equidistant between the Blue Line and northern Lake Tiberias.
Drone intercepted and Resistance Brigades
In addition to a series of other strikes claimed by Hezbollah on its usual targets, such as "Marj" and "Sammaka," the party announced that its "air defense unit" had "attacked a Heron drone at 4:40 p.m. with a surface-to-air missile over the Bekaa Valley." The drone was "forced to leave Lebanese airspace and was prevented from completing its mission," according to the party.
Hezbollah had previously announced several times since Oct. 8 that it had repelled drones, and even fighter jets, with surface-to-air missiles. However, this is the first time it involved a Heron drone, an Israeli aircraft developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of operating at altitudes up to 10 kilometers with a flight endurance of 52 continuous hours.
Another notable event of the day was the announcement by the Resistance Brigades, a Sunni militia affiliated with Hezbollah, of a strike against the Israeli "Roueissat el-Alam" site, located in the disputed Kfar Shuba Heights. These Brigades have launched several attacks on Israeli positions in recent months.
After this exchange, the morning remained calm along the Blue Line, but this brief respite ended in the early afternoon when Israeli airstrikes hit several areas, including the outskirts of Kounine (Bint Jbeil) and Kabriha (Marjayoun).
Stay close to shelters
On the other side of the border, the Israeli army reported eight rockets fired from Lebanon in the afternoon. According to local officials in Shlomi, northern Israel, one projectile hit a building, but no casualties were reported.
Shortly before, residents of some northern Israeli villages were urged to stay near bomb shelters and avoid large gatherings, according to the Haaretz daily. The Upper Galilee Regional Council in northern Israel issued this warning "due to heightened fears of rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon," the newspaper reported.
The clashes in South Lebanon between Hezbollah and its allies on one side and the Israeli army on the other will enter their twelfth month on Sunday. The conflict has claimed 604 lives in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters and members of other factions, but also civilians, rescuers and journalists.